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Volunteering and productive ageing

Volunteering and productive ageing. Dr Jeni Warburton Australasian Centre on Ageing (ACA). Why look at volunteering for seniors ?. Links with both productive ageing and healthy ageing – and thus ‘successful ageing’ Population ageing – babyboomers hit town! Importance at two life stages:

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Volunteering and productive ageing

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  1. Volunteering and productive ageing Dr Jeni Warburton Australasian Centre on Ageing (ACA)

  2. Why look at volunteering for seniors ? • Links with both productive ageing and healthy ageing – and thus ‘successful ageing’ • Population ageing – babyboomers hit town! • Importance at two life stages: • More traditional models – part of retirement lifestyle • More contemporary models –part of life/work balance for older workers

  3. What are the issues? • Concerns re numbers & diversity of seniors as volunteers • Lack of volunteer policy attention – it will just happen • Lack of knowledge and understanding as to what seniors want and expect from their volunteering • And what stops seniors giving their time

  4. The NSPAC/ACA study • Multi-stage project • Aims: • Explore members’ views on volunteering as a productive ageing activity via survey and focus groups • Particular focus on what encourages or discourages people from volunteering – ie structural issues • Also looked at other stakeholder perspectives eg large businesses

  5. Key findings • Seniors are often not getting what they want • Want flexibility • Want interesting options • Want to use their skills/experience • Don’t want to be over-regulated • Ageist attitudes spill over into volunteering • Feel unwanted • Need extra encouragement – ‘try before you buy’? • Volunteering has an image problem • Non-volunteers have negative perceptions • Organisations need to promote their opportunities

  6. Where are we going with this work? • ARC Linkage grant application – looking at improving the promotion and marketing of volunteers to seniors • ARC Discovery grant application – looking at building & testing a new model of volunteer management for babyboomers • Models of volunteering for seniors – retirement vs career transition

  7. What else do we need to know? • Volunteering is important for seniors – but is an under-researched area. • Do we know enough? • What else do we need to know? • …..??

  8. Outcomes / contact • J.Warburton@uq.edu.au • Outcomes to date: • 2 national & 1 international conference presentation; 1 proposed • 2 published papers • NSPAC Bulletin reports & magazine articles

  9. Additional slidesMelbourne Dr Jeni Warburton Australasian Centre on Ageing The University of Queensland

  10. Advantages of volunteering • Volunteering is good for seniors: • Positive relationship between health and volunteering particularly in later life. • Higher life satisfaction • And good for society: • Australians 55+ contribute over $74 billion to economy through unpaid caring and volunteering (de Vaus et al., 2003)

  11. Incentives to volunteer • Incentives were seen as most important • Attention to program management important eg skills development, training, flexibility, diversity • More intergenerational opportunities required. Not want to be viewed as “old” • Pathways into volunteering need attention, particularly for women. General appeals will not work.

  12. Barriers to volunteering • Barriers less important than incentives • Highest barrier is about organisations not using skills and experience effectively • Non-volunteers and those still in workforce see volunteering as inflexible, discriminatory, boring etc – thus may well be a case of perceptions of volunteering

  13. Policy implications (1) • Study shows need to develop clear policy responses if we are to expect more older people to volunteer • Cannot just expect that babyboomers will volunteer • Need to ensure diverse opportunities are available – work with the young, flexible, broad opportunities • Not make assumptions about ageing – eg ageism, lack of skills, not need flexibility

  14. Policy implications (2) • Ensure good volunteer management if new volunteers are to be attracted to volunteering and retained • An inclusive volunteer culture needs to be developed • Ensure that organisations are flexible enough to consider the needs of volunteers – to use their skills & experience, offer short term opportunities • Both business and government have a role here in supporting volunteers

  15. Policy implications (3) • Need to relook at pathways into volunteering. General appeals (particularly aimed at older people) may not work • Need to tackle negative perceptions of volunteering if going to attract new volunteers eg nature of work, flexibility, discrimination • Retirement may not be a good time to recruit but volunteers may give more time • May need to target women’s particular concerns

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